Bag Coal

Bag Coal

Reusable Shopping Bags Aren't the Only Option

Each of us uses resources daily.  Many of our resource choices are habitual, while others might be thought out.  Often money is the primary factor in determining the choices we make.  For instance, the brand of gas you buy is probably influenced by the price at various gas stations, not the environmental impact of that gas company.  Many more of us are making a difference in the grocery store.  Reusable shopping bags are more common than ever.  But why do we make strides here and not with our other resource options?

The reason reusable bags make a difference is their use eliminates the production of many more plastic bags.  Using these bags saves energy by reducing the manufacturing process.  It also saves us from excess waste disposal.  When we choose to use eco friendly bags, we are making choices over the energy we use.  This principal can be expanded to help us make more energy-wise choices in our lives.

Heating and powering a home is generally one of our most energy intensive activities.  Most people limit themselves to one of the few available options.  We have electricity, natural gas, and propane.  But you needn't limit yourself to these three options.  Often times the energy spent to bring this energy to your home is quite large.  Your energy might be coming from several states away.  

Did you know there are a host of government subsidy programs available that allow a person to dictate the source from which their energy is to come?  Essentially, this means if you prefer solar or wind power for you home, you can often make it happen.  Most energy companies have a variety of energy sources on the grid.  However, they don't actively use them all.  Many wind and solar plants are held in reserve.  But you have the right to request which energy your prefer, and that forces the energy company to use more of those sources.  If enough consumer request solar power, then a power company will start holding coal plants in reserve, and primarily use solar instead.  State laws vary so you'll have to check with your power company to discover your options.

Programs exist for other gas supplies too since there are often landfill caps on their disposal.  Some companies sell gas to utilities or in containers to be used in more rural communities.  Other times this gas will be used to fuel a generator, and the energy will be sold to the grid, where you can request its use.

There might be more energy options for you car too.  When buying a new vehicle you might consider E85, a gasoline and alcohol mixture now widely available.  Often you can acquire a government subsidy to help pay for a vehicle conversion, which would allow your car to run on E85.

Diesel options are increasing as well.  Clean diesel is a great alternative to traditional polluting diesel.  Clean diesel is now powering many small direct injection diesel engines in North America.  These types of vehicles have been used in Europe for decades.  Additionally, diesel engines can be easily converted to run on biodiesel, which is made from corn or soybeans.  This fuel significantly reduces the use of foreign oil and is clean burning.  If you already have a diesel vehicle, then consider buying a conversion kit.

As you can see, using reusable shopping bags is just the tip of iceberg.  There are many ways we can conserve energy.  Just think about what energy you use, and where it comes from.  You can choose other sources that are more eco-friendly!

About the Author

Eliza Reeder writes articles that deal with environmental concerns and eco-friendly living. She encourages everyone to help protect our planet's future by doing things like using reusable bags. You can find more eco-friendly living tips on her organic cotton bags site.

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